Mountshannon, Ireland police have determined that reports of a ‘lion’ sighting were actually a large dog with an unusual haircut.
In late October 2025, a video began spreading on WhatsApp and social media showing what seemed to be a lion walking into the wooded area near Mountshannon, a village on the coast of Lough Derg in County Clare, Ireland.
A driver captured video of a large, golden-brown animal with a furry tail as it walked into the woods. The driver honked the horn, seemingly trying to get the animal’s attention, as it disappeared from view.
The video understandably worried people in the area and prompted the local police to investigate.
Police in Ireland (Gardaí) say they haven’t received any reports of a lion escaping in County Meath, despite a video circulating online that appears to show one. The video is thought to have been filmed near Kells in County Meath.
— Boyne News (@BoyneNews) October 30, 2025
Viral video of ‘lion’ in Ireland was actually a friendly dog
It turns out residents didn’t need to worry about a lion on the loose! The ‘lion’ seen in a popular video was actually just a large dog being walked by its owner.
On Tuesday, November 4th, Ireland’s police service shared a photo of a new member: a Newfoundland puppy. This large breed of working dog originates from Newfoundland, a region in eastern Canada.
Honestly, it looked exactly like a lion! It had this amazing haircut called a ‘lion cut’ – it’s really popular for pets, and they basically shave the body but leave a fluffy mane around the head and a little puff at the end of the tail, just like a real lion. It was so cute!
The recent reports of a ‘lion’ sighting in Clare have been explained! It wasn’t a lion at all, but a large, fluffy Newfoundland dog named Mouse who had just gotten a trim. Gardaí from Killaloe confirmed the animal’s true identity after investigating the video.
— Garda Info (@gardainfo) November 4, 2025
The department announced on X that the ‘lion’ seen wandering in Clare was actually a Newfoundland dog that had recently been groomed!
Police in Killaloe have determined that the animal seen in a recent video wandering the woods in East Clare wasn’t a lion, but a friendly dog named Mouse.
People in Ireland found the mistake amusing, and many remembered a similar incident from earlier this year when a Chinese zoo tried to trick visitors by presenting Chow Chow dogs as tigers.
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2025-11-04 22:50